John Tuckerman was unanimously elected Friday to a fourth one-year term as chairman of the Lena­wee County Commission.

New efforts to promote business growth and new jobs are being considered in 2014 despite the county government’s continuing financial crunch, said Tuckerman, R-Blissfield.

Commissioners also re-elected David Stimpson, R-Tecumseh, as vice chairman. Commissioners also endorsed re-appointment of all commissioners to current committee assignments.

County Administrator Martin Marshall said he is encouraged by the unity shown by commissioners in their first meeting of the year.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to take on some significant projects and do some good for the county,” said Marshall.

Funding is still a challenge as the commission begins a new year, Tuckerman said.

Property taxes are the county’s primary source of revenue, he said, and taxable assessment increases are limited to last year’s 1.6 percent inflation rate.

“It’s going to hold the lid on things we’d like to do,” Tuckerman said.

The commission’s 2014 budget included a 5.65 percent increase for the sheriff’s department, Tuckerman said, allowing the agency to maintain current staffing levels.

Sheriff Jack Welsh had asked for two additional deputies and a jail officer this year. The staff increase is needed to deal with the department’s work load, Welsh said.

The challenge for the county commission is solving the issue of expenses growing faster than revenues, Tuckerman said.

A major goal has to be growing the county’s tax base, he said.

Gratiot County is receiving $850 million in investments in wind power generation that was turned away from Lenawee County two years ago, said Tuckerman.

“We’ve got to look to other places now,” he said.

The county cannot solve its financial problems, he said, “until we get new jobs in the county and excess housing filled up.”

Tuckerman said he expects the commission to review requests to increase Lenawee Now funding for more marketing efforts to attract new business to the county. A proposal for a self-financing economic crimes program in the county prosecutor’s office will also be discussed, he said.

Both proposals were discussed before the 2014 budget was adopted in December.